HOSPITAL NUMBER 3

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This is the most worthwhile Project the Neva Children's Charity has been Involved with to Date.

We have been Asked by this Hospital to help them.

Hospital Number 3 is Hidden away on Vasilievsky Island  St Petersburg.

It would be easy to walk past and not notice what's beyond the High Walls and Metal Security gates.

Some Members of the Charity Visited the Hospital Recently and where warmly Welcomed by the Wonderful Caring Staff.

Although we are all Experienced at Visiting Russian Children's Hospital's, and have come to Expect great difference's towards them and our own Hospital's.

However We were not quite prepared for the Conditions we Encountered after entering the Gates.

This Establishment has Undergone very little Improvement since it was Built in the 1880's.

 Derelict Wood Buildings, Main Hospital Blocks With Decaying Masonry, Rotted Windows and Doors.

Inside the the Hospital the Picture does not get any better.

Appalling Sanitary conditions, Badly Illuminated and Poorly Decorated Wards and The very Basic of Hospital Equipment.

These Buildings are the Home for the Poorest Children in Russia's Society.

Here we found a Home for Unwanted Babies and Children, who have been Abandoned by their Parents, because they are suffering from a wide range of Infections Including Hepatitis, HIV, TB and Gonorrhea.

These Infections are Common in Russia for Children  from low income Social Groups.

These Tiny Babies and Children, have done nothing in their lives to deserve this fate.

The Conditions of their Ward is Unbelievable, they lack the Basic Facilities.

The Hospital is constantly appealing for Medicine's and Disposable Nappies.

The Caring and Dedicated Staff work tirelessly to ensure these Babies have the Best Treatment their Meager Budget can Provide.

When We visited, The Hospital had been without Hot Water for many Weeks and Were having to Transport Hot Water around the Hospital Buildings to Enable them to Wash the Children.

There are very few Refuge's for the Tens of Thousands of Street Children, who have fled their families mainly because of domestic problems, but this Hospital has a Shelter where it welcomes these Children and with Care, Patience, Counselling and Understanding will restore Confidence in the Children and help them back into the Society.

The Staff have Restored the Original Hospital Chapel, which has been Used as a Morgue since the early 1920's

and now hold Regular services for the Children.

The Neva Children's Charity have submitted a Long term Plan to the Hospital and these Plans Include Improvements for the safety and comfort of the Children, Installing modern Bathrooms, Upgrading the Illumination and Decoration, Upgrading Electrical Services to the Wards, Installing an Uninterrupted Domestic Hot Water Supply, Renewing rotted Windows and Doors and Providing Children and Baby Playrooms, complete with Activities as Required.

This will of course take Quite a lot of Money and many Years to Complete.

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